


Strange Traditions

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 19:49:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5346455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Local traditions can be weird, but they have an interesting history at least.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strange Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 3 of the advent challenge and the prompt "breaking bread".
> 
> Masterlist for advent fics is [here](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/437913.html).

Charlie carefully put down the load of bread, then a bowl of salt, and finally a pitcher of water. Harry watched from the doorway, arms crossed. Charlie caught him looking and smiled. "It's a local tradition."

"And we have guests coming so they expect it?" Harry asked.

Charlie nodded. "Yep. We break bread first and then we eat the Christmas meal."

Harry shrugged. "Makes about as much sense as anything else, I suppose."

Charlie laughed and crossed the room to take Harry's hand. He led him into the kitchen where a much smaller loaf was waiting. Their usual salt shaker had been put next to it as well as three glasses, two of which had water. "This is also a local tradition. It's the same as the one we're doing tonight with our guests, but meant for newlyweds."

Harry frowned. "And why didn't we do this earlier?"

Charlie grinned. "Didn't get a chance to, did we, with the rush to get back here."

For the hatching, he meant. Charlie and Harry had both worked hard to ensure a good breeding for a new Norweigian Ridgeback since the Norwegian Ministry had recently lost one. They'd received word an hour before the wedding that it was getting ready to hatch. They'd rushed the service and had been busy ever since, working with the baby dragon. 

"You know the Muggle story Dracula?" Charlie asked, moving to stand behind Harry.

Harry nodded. "The vampire who terrorised a British property agent?"

"That's the one," Charlie said. "It's just a story to the Muggles, but for the wizarding community here, it isn't a story. There was a local wizard who was turned into a vampire and began a bloody reign of terror. But no one knew what he looked like since he never left any of his victims alive. Until a priest offered him a meal. It was after the Christmas Mass. The vampire had remained behind and the priest asked if he had anywhere to go, any family to share the Christmas meal with. The vampire replied he did not so the priest invited him to his home. There, he offered to break bread with him."

Charlie put his hands over Harry's and together, they broke the bread in half. "When the vampire refused, the priest became suspicious. So the priest then offered him a glass of water." Together, they poured the water from the two glasses to one. "And again, the vampire refused. He urged the priest to enjoy himself, but then the priest spilled the salt." The salt shaker was tipped over. "And the vampire jumped back from the table."

"And so the priest killed him?" Harry asked.

"He did," Charlie answered. He threw the salt over their shoulders. "In case the devil is walking behind you instead of sitting at your table."

Harry nodded. He thought he had heard of some Muggles doing the same. Charlie moved them so they faced each other and offered Harry half the bread. "It's a ritual now shared between couples and on Christmas. Because one can pay lip service in a wedding vow and during Christmas mass, but to refuse to break bread? It's an insult to your host and shows your true colours to your spouse."

"And the water?" Harry asked, taking a small bite of the bread.

"Older than this," Charlie said, eating a bit of his half. "No one is quite sure where it got its start, but some say its so you show your host that you aren't going to poison him. Or, for newlyweds, it's to make sure you aren't going to poison your spouse for position or money."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "And I thought your neighbor's tradition of announcing the time every sunrise was weird."

Charlie shrugged. Someone knocked on the door and he smiled. Pulling Harry close, he kissed his temple. "Now, let's break bread with our non-vampiric friends and enjoy that wonderful Christmas roast you made."

Harry smiled. "I'm sure it will be good with the bread."

Charlie chuckled.


End file.
